Bite Me Cancer

Bite Me Cancer was formed by Nikki Ferraro and her parents to follow up amazing support she received after her own rare thyroid cancer diagnosis in just 5 months earlier when she was 17 years old. What started as her Relay for Life fundraising event team in April to June 2010, drove Nikki to turn the support into a nonprofit organization that still is inspiring people to get involved to fight cancer. “Our mission is to fight cancer through research, education and inspiration. Attitude is everything; join us.” Bite Me Cancer's goals have remained constant since 2010. Goal #1: To support teenagers dealing with all cancers. A Teen Support Bag program was developed to show teenagers they are not alone in their cancer battle. Teens fall through the cracks in the hospital support services between the younger pediatric and the older adult populations. The bags are free to the teens and are mainly distributed through a growing network of 195+ hospitals that treat teens from every state and DC. As of January 2023, almost 11,000 teenagers have received a Teen Support Bag. The foundation also serves dinners to the families on the pediatric oncology floor at a local children's hospital. Events are also held so teenagers and their families can have some fun away from cancer. Goal #2: To directly fund thyroid cancer research grants. The research program is managed by the American Thyroid Association. Each year, Bite Me Cancer chooses one 2-year grant to fund and then stays in touch with each researcher and their progress along the way. When Nikki was diagnosed, there was NO treatment available. The foundation keeps working on spreading awareness of this still fast increasing cancer. Each year, Bite Me Cancer holds its large wine dinner fundraiser to raise funds for the Teen Support Bag program. Each bag costs the foundation $85, as of January 2023.

10467 White Granite Drive Suite 300, Oakton, VA 22124